Elmira Sielstone: The Empress

Twenty-Three

Alexis, along with Rebecca, her family and their fellow Hazzles who can control the fire, had gone out to the borders of Pyrisium and their place to remove the fire on the forest, while Elmira and her three Gemus, were left in Vainussei to finish their missions at once, inside.

"Please, don't bring us back to Pyrisium."

Elmira was standing in front of the Hazzles, watching them, as her three Gemus were opening a portal beside her to get them back to where they truly belongs.

The tall man was beside Elmira, kneeling on the ground as Elmira had already provided him with a green electric handcuff so he couldn't use his Qarath while they were preparing for their way back to Pyrisium.

"Tell me a reason why you don't want to be back there." Elmira said, as she watched how the Hazzles in front of them were coping up with having no Qaraths at all.

They were doing great, but they couldn't stand up as they were all glued on the ground, as Elmira's making sure that no one could escape them.

"We'll get killed." He said.

"Well, Hazzles eventually dies when it's their time to die." Elmira doesn't even care about what he has answered her, as she cares less whether they'll be killed or not as they have sinned from their fellow Hazzles, leading his followers to the wrong path of their lives.

"Try to give another much more convincing reason. I can grant your wish if you can convince me very well." She said. "I'll be giving you three chances to reason out."

The man stayed quiet, as he was thinking about the best reasons out there, so they couldn't get back to their own place. A much more convincing reason than the fact that they could be killed once they have set their foot back in Pyrisium.

"We have families that we're protecting in Pyrisium, so we must not be back there." He said. He waited for Elmira to tell him to try another, but she didn't. She was waiting for his story. "They have threatened us with their lives, that if we couldn't get this land for them, they would kill everyone in our family. So we can't get back unless we have great news for them." He continued. He was looking at his fellow Hazzles in front of him as he's reasoning out, and explaining their side.

"Then, why do they want this land to be theirs?" Elmira asked him, and caught a glimpse of a sudden quick grin on his face that had vanished quickly.

"We still didn't know. They told us not to ask questions and just do what we were told to do." He said, trying to hide his excitement as he thought that he had already convinced Elmira.

The three Gemus beside Elmira, had already opened the portal that they will be using to transport every single Hazzle in Vainussei that were really not from there, and were just causing everyone trouble.

As soon as they had finished the portal, they all looked at Elmira who was also looking at them, while she was listening to the man on her other side.

"Alright." Elmira started, still staring at her Three Gemus.

"What will you do?" Savvy asked her, not directly through her mind, but still delivered her question clearly towards Elmira as she could hear him even though he couldn't reach her mind.

"We're not sending them back to Pyrisium." Elmira answered him through his mind.

"They were really from there. But what he's saying was different from the real deal." She added.

Elmira looked towards the Hazzles lined up in front of them, seated on the ground.

"Alright? You mean, you won't send us back there?" The man beside her, had suddenly brightened up his mood as he was hoping for a positive answer from Elmira.

"Yes. You'll stay here." She said.

"What are you planning to do? We should send them back to Pyrisium." Savvy said again as he just couldn't understand Elmira's sudden change of mind, as Elmira is not someone who is just likely to change her decision so suddenly. He knows that there's something going on, but he just couldn't tell what it is.

"These people were from Pyrisium, but they're not here as invaders. They were invited here in the South, and they're here to trap Alexis." She said, without being scared of what she had seen.

She actually had the idea that they let Alexis come to their place just to trap him, but because she came and saw how she had just easily got all the Hazzles from Pyrisium, and how easily she had stopped them from their acts, they needed to change their plans.

"They're far worse than I expected." She said towards them, but she never even showed any signs of being stressed out by what was happening, and never for once had let anyone see that she was scared for the two people with the Hazzles of Vainussei.

"Then what do we do now?" Savvy asks again through his mind, and is ready for any changes in plan..

"We'll wait. But for now, get the Hazzles who have sinned towards the other Hazzles, getting their Qaraths. Transport them to the dungeon as soon as possible. And get as much Hazzle as you can."

***

"Mom, why do you fear them when you're more than capable of doing things?" Rebecca asked, as they were walking towards the entrance of the border, in an open grass field, towards the forest that has been on fire for days.

She's walking with her Family, while Alexis was just in front of them, with Rebecca's three brothers while silently listening to what they're talking about behind him.

"Because they're capable of killing, and we couldn't do the same." She answered, holding her hands.

Rebecca was the only daughter of the Rulers of Vainussei in the Southern part of Harzenia, and the youngest in their Family. And she was practically living inside the Academy, that is why her parents were on both of her sides.

Rebecca formed a furrow in her brows, as she was doubting what her Mother had told her. There was something on what she had said that she couldn't even believe.

"Are you saying that you're not capable of killing, Mom?" She asked, glancing at her right where her Mother is. "I mean, you can also do that if it's really necessary. They were already preparing to kill you out of anger earlier, so why didn't you fight back?"

They were already at the entrance of the border. Thick Smokes were covering the area, as the fire had already spread all throughout the forest. The wind was sending them hot air, and a huge amount of black flakes from the burned trees, leaves and grasses inside.

"We just simply can't." Her mother answered, not clarifying anything from her answer.

"Stay alert.." Elmira had come across Alexis and Rebecca's mind, giving them a warning.

Although the two of them weren't sure of what she was saying towards them, they still tried to be as alert as possible for what may happen.

"This is a trap. So do not ever go inside the forest." Elmira added.

Once Rebecca had heard her from her mind, she took the chance to read her family's mind.

'It's a mess.', That's what she wanted to say but she remained silent and didn't show any reaction from what she had seen and heard from their minds, and stayed more alert than ever after she had read them.

They all readied themselves to go through the forest to kill the fire.

Rebecca's father came in front while they all were watching the black frost showering them and the place.

"We'll be getting inside. Try to control the fire at your own pace, and be safe." He said, glancing at each and everyone who has volunteered, as they can also control the fire element, But his gaze landed towards Alexis before he came back to where he was earlier, beside Rebecca.

She made a very awkward smile to her father once their gazes met, but her Father didn't do the same.

"Let's go." Once her father said it, they all walked inside the forest, except for Rebecca, her family and Alexis.

"Your Highness, why aren't you going inside?" Paolo asked him, Rebecca's oldest brother.

"Because you're still here. I want to come with Rebecca's Family." He casually said, trying to be calm and kept on looking around him, and the forest in front of them.

"We'll go after you." Paolo said again.

Rebecca's mother linked her arms through Rebecca's, redying herself so she couldn't get away from them when they performed their planned moves.

"No. But I don't -" He had stopped talking, as Elmira suddenly appeared in front of them.

Everyone was all taken aback from her sudden appearance. They were all staring at her in shock, as no one expected her to come.

Elmira left her Three Gemus to look for the Hazzles they had caught up with, who tried to act earlier just to let Alexis and Rebecca believe that they were all holding Rebecca's family as a hostage, which in turn, isn't the real deal. They have already collected Hazzles that has been getting Qaraths from another.

"What… What are you doing here? And how did you just appear here? No one can teleport from this forest." Her father was stammering, as he was finishing what he was saying.

"Maybe because I came from your House, not from this forest." Elmira said, making fun of them.

"That's impossible." Elmira had heard Rebecca's father, talking to himself in his mind

"It is possible. You've seen me appearing right in front of your eyes." She said, annoying them more, as their plans have been put to hold because of her sudden appearance.

They have seen her from earlier, controlling the Hazzles around them while she doesn't even move a little. She just grinned and the Hazzles already aren't moving. It is the very first time they had seen and encountered someone that powerful. A Hazzle who can do what they have seen from her without having a hard time.

"Did you just… read my mind?" His eyes had widened as he couldn't believe what she just did.